Admission Of Guilt

Ian answered the door, and Ilona watched as he stood up straighter once he saw who was behind it. He stepped back out of the way, and his sister was not surprised when the lovely Lady Adair swept into the room.

Looking around at all of them, the Duchess looked as if she was studying them closely.

"You will all have dinner with us soon," she told them, trying to force a smile to her lips that wouldn't quite come, "Do you... do you have anything to change into for dinner?"

Ian looked between his sister, who was frowning, and his brothers, who looked confused since they had no idea what was being said. He sighed, popping his knuckles as Ilona knew he did when he was uncomfortable.

"They don't," he shook his head, "I never thought to have them bring more formal dress."

Delaney Adair bit her lip as she looked them over, which annoyed Ilona. She was a pirate Captain. She shouldn't have to sit here and let this woman examine her like an insect.

"They will need something to wear to go to court," Delaney said gently, "It wouldn't be proper to bring them like this."

Ilona frowned, feeling her anger bubbling up now, "I look perfectly fine as I am. I don't need to dress fancy to deliver a letter."

A frowned creased the Duchess's delicate features as she met the pirate woman's glare, "You do if you're expecting to have a meeting with a king. You want him to take you seriously and consider your request to make a deal with the King of the Red Lands. So you will need to look respectable."

"Just because I'm not dressed like a duchess doesn't mean I don't look respectable," Ilona threw her hands in the air.

"You need to listen to her, Ilona," Ian snapped then, startling his sister, "She knows this world, and you don't. We need to do whatever is most likely to get us the results we want."

Ilona crossed her arms again and looked between her brother and the duchess, her displeasure clear on her face. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. Besides, she didn't want to push the Duchess and make her angry enough to back out on helping them see the King.

It still hurt watching her brother let someone talk down to her like that. She wouldn't have allowed a stranger to speak to Ian that way.

Delaney considered them all again, tapping her fingers together as she did so.

"I can have Ms. Bird see if any of Miles or Vincent's old clothes are stored away for the boys," she started, making Ilona wonder who Miles was, "I'm sure I have a dress that Ilona could wear. It would just need some adjustments."

"I am to wear a dress?" Ilona asked abruptly as soon as the words left the other woman's mouth, "I haven't worn a dress since I was a child!"

"What's going on?" Nick demanded in the pirate language then, looking to Ian, "What is she saying?"

"She says our sister has to wear a dress," Ian smirked.

Immediately, the younger Blacks laughed heartily at their sister. Ilona turned and glared at them.

"Shut your mouths," Ilona snapped, "She wants to make both of you wear dressy clothes too."

Jamie and Nick looked at each other for a moment, their expressions clear they would never let that happen, and then they both laughed harder.

Delaney Adair looked to Ian to explain what was going on since she didn't understand the pirate language. He smiled and shook his head.

"They know her aversion to dresses," he said in English again, "Ever since she was little, she hated them, but our mother would insist she wear them. Since she got old enough to decide on her own, I don't think she's ever worn one since."

"Oh," Delaney said quietly, looking at Ilona in surprise before turning back to Ian, "Well, it really will be best if she wants to go to court and be taken seriously. I don't know that she would even be able to appear in front of the King if she wasn't dressed formally."

Ilona's anger was about to boil over as this woman spoke about her as if she wasn't there. And how was her brother allowing this to happen to her? Didn't he care how rudely Delaney Adair was treating his sister? She opened her mouth to say something, but Ian saw it and spoke first.

"She'll do it," he agreed, cutting Ilona off and turning to look at her as she glared at him, "Would you uhh... would you be able to help her get ready tomorrow? You and Ms. Bird?"

"I don't need help getting dressed," Ilona snapped loudly, "I'm not a child!"

"Of course," Delaney Adair agreed, ignoring her, "I'll see what dresses I have that would look nice on her, and she can try one on later so Ms. Bird will know how to make the adjustments. I might call in a seamstress to help her so that it won't take as long."

Ilona opened her mouth to say something again, but again, Ian cut her off.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, and Ilona watched the way he looked at the Duchess, "Would you rather them eat their meals in their rooms for now since they don't have anything to change into?"

"Of course not," Delaney beamed up at him with a particular fondness, "Wash up and bring them down to dinner with you. It should be ready soon."

Ilona pushed down her anger, and her eyes followed the Duchess as she said goodbye to all of them, even Nick and Jamie, who knew at least what that phrase was. They smiled and said it back with thick accents.

When the Duchess closed the door behind her, Ilona turned her cold gaze back to Ian.

"Stop it, Ilona," he rolled his eyes at her when he saw her expression, "You know she's right. You need to dress appropriately to see the King. We have to do whatever we need to to make him happy."

"I don't care about the stupid dress," she hissed, "How could you let her treat me with such disrespect right in front of you and not say anything at all to stop it? I would never let someone dismiss you like that."

Jamie and Nick turned to look at their oldest brother in surprise. The Blacks may bicker amongst each other, but they wouldn't stand for someone else mistreating one of their siblings. Ilona felt a stabbing in her heart, hurt that he would let this bullying happen even if he was angry with her.

Ian looked between his siblings and dropped his gaze. He popped his knuckles again before rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're right," he sighed, "I'm sorry."

The Black stubbornness kicked in, and neither Ilona nor the boys moved to forgive him so quickly. Ian looked up between them before his eyes landed on Ilona and stopped.

"I will admit it," he said quietly in English, "I... I like her... more than I should."

Ilona's anger instantly melted away, so surprised by his admission. The younger Blacks looked between them in annoyance.

"I can't help it," he continued, looking away again as he sat on the foot of the bed, "I can't... I can't stop."

"What are you going to do?" Ilona asked, not knowing what else to say. Somewhere downstairs a bell tolled, announcing dinner was ready.

"I don't know," Ian sighed, getting to his feet and signaling for their brothers to join him, "But I've never felt like this before Ilona... not ever."